FAQ ~ Frequently Asked Questions

As I've been registering all of you for the BJP, there have been many questions. Everyone seems to be getting into this pretty smoothly. But just in case, here are a few of the questions that have come up many times.

Q. Do I have to turn in my piece every month?
A. No.

Q. How do I report that I finished my journal page at the end of the month?
A. There is no BJP police force. You do not have to report to anybody except yourself.

Q. What if I don’t finish my page by the end of the month?
A. Again, there is no PBJ police force. Try to keep yourself on schedule as best you can.

Q. Can I start my page before the beginning of the month?
A. Sure. Try to pace yourself, one piece per month.

Q. Can I publish pictures of my journal pages on the web?
A. Yes, but not on the BJP blog until after September 1st. You can publish pictures of your work on your own blog, website, or any other site any time you wish.

Q. Is there a charge for being part of the BJP?
A. No, not for the 2007-2008 BJP.

Q. Do I have to do solid bead embroidery or can the beading surface show?
A. This is entirely up to you. You don’t even have to do bead embroidery. You could do some type of bead weaving. You must use some beads on each month’s journal page.

Q. What do you mean by page?
A. Think of it as “page” (not literal), or maybe “piece.” It could be three dimensional, as in a doll form. You must pick a size/shape and stick with it for the entire year.

Q. What if I have to drop out?
A. We’ll miss you. Please let me know via email if you decide to drop out of the BJP.

Q. After I finish all 12 pages, do I have to bind them into a journal?
A. No, but you may if you wish.

Q. Is it OK if I’m just a beginning beader?
A. Yes. There are several beginners in the group. Like everybody else, you start at a certain level and hopefully stretch yourself both technically and creatively during the twelve months of the BJP.

Q. Can all 12 pieces be part of the same large piece? Can I divide one piece of cloth into 12 sections and bead one per month?
A. Yes.

Q. Will there be any instructions or a tutorial about how to bind our journals when we finish?
A. Not officially. There are many possible ways to bind pages, and some members don’t want to bind their work at all. But if you want assistance, you can ask other members for help by posting on the BJP blog.

Q. Do I need to write in a journal or on my BJP monthly page?
A. You may if you wish. Think of this as a visual journal. Try to express yourself with color, shapes, lines, forms. Words are OK too. A companion written journal to your bead journal pages might be nice.

Q. I have a friend who just heard about the BJP. Can she join?
A. Sorry, official membership closed May 30th for the 2007 BJP. Your friend can participate unofficially and is welcome to read the BJP blog.

Q. Do I have to have a website or blog; and do I have to read/write on the BJP blog?
A. No. The important core of the BJP is to challenge yourself to grow as an artist. The way to move in that direction is to create 12 bead journal pages, one per month for a year. Everything else is gravy; you can take it or leave it.

Posted by Robin A